Wire-fabric.



H. RICHARDSON & W. LIPPERT. WIRE FABRIC.

m APPLICATION FILED DEC.9, 19H- L7,'?1.

Patented Nov. 27, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET H. RICHARDSON & W. LIIPERT.

- WIRE FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.9. I9I4. wmmm.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

720 'ofard/aora Patented Nov. 27, 1917.

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HENRY RICHARDSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND WILLIAM: LIPPERT, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN; SAID LIPPERI ASSIGNOR T0 SAID RICHARDSON.

WIRE FABRIC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2?, 191i? Application filed December 9, 1914. Serial No. 876,265.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HENRY RICHARDSON,

a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and W'ILLIAM LIP- PERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenosha, in the county of Kenosha and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Fabrics, of which the following is av specification.

This invention relates in general to improvements in wire link fabrics of that type used extensively to form bed and couch bottoms, and pertains more particularly to a typeof such fabrics which is made in compa'ratively light wire, the requisite strength i being secured through the avoidance of an secured end connectlons of the links 111 the 1 to flexibly connect adjacent longitudinal strands of the fabric. Heretofore, so far as we are aware, in fabrics employing a twoply longitudinal body or tension member and a two-ply cross-arm, the latter hasbeen composed of the two end portions of the wire which forms the link, the free ends of these end portions being bent to form parallel independent hooks which engage a laterally adjacent link of the fabric. In a companion application filed simultaneously herewith, Serial No. 876,264, we have disclosed a construction wherein the two-ply cross-arm is formed from one end portion of the wire of the link bent or folded upon itself with the free end of that portion of the wire forming the cross-arm secured to the body member of the link, and in such construction we have shown the outer end of the cross-arm formed as a U-bend Or loop and passed through or around a portion of a laterally adjacent link to provide a flexible connection between adjacent longitudinal strands. Our present construction employs the same broad feature of a two-ply cross-arm formed wholly from one end portion of the wire of the link, but the outer end of the crossarm, instead of looping around or through an element of an adjacent link, is bent downwardly and inwardly forming a two-ply hook, the limbs of which are integrally connected at the outer end of the hook, and which hook engages an adjacent link to form a flexible connection therewith, the free end of said hook being preferably given a reentrant formation to prevent the hook from slipping out of plaoe,'this construction being especially useful in fabrics intended for folding couch bottoms. Such a construction of a two-ply cross-arm and terminal hook 1s superior to a construction wherein the two limbs of the cross-arm and terminal hook are independent of each other, since the two limbs of the cross-arm mutually re inforce each other through their integral connection at the free end of the hook, and the hookitself is superior to a two-ply hook having unconnected limbs for the reason that, in case of unequal tension on the two limbs of the hook, any tendency to yield on the part of the limb receiving the greater tension is resisted by the companion limb through the integral connection between the limbs.

For the purpose of end-'to-end connection of the links, one end of each link may be formed by a simple U-bend of the wire, while the other end may be variously shaped to provide a cooperating interlooping member. This latter may take the form of a twoply substantially vertical loop, or a single vertical loop and a downwardly and laterally bent offset, or a pair of downwardly and laterally bent ofisets; the free end portion of the wire that is not used in the formation of the cross-arm being preferably clenched or otherwise strongly securedto the body portion of the link. The outer hooked looking-in the direction of the arrow 6 of end of the cross-arm mayenibrace the body portlon of an adjacent link, or it may nook through a laterally projecting eye on the latter, or it may be otherwise flexibly connected to a laterally adjacent link within the purview of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated our'invention as embodied in a considerable variety of specifically varying forms, all of which, however, embody the principle of the invention, and referring thereto- Figures 1, 4:, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19 and 22 are fragmentary top plan views of several slightly varying forms of our fabric;

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional detail views on the lines 22 and 33 01' Fig. 1; i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the outer end portion of the cross-arm, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 of F 1, more particularly illustrating the reen=- trant form of hook preferably employed.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view Fig. 4:;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail view on the line 8- -8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 183.11 enlarged perspective view looking in the direction of the arrow 9 of Fig. 7

Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional detail view -on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10;.

' Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective view looking in the direction of the arrow 12 of Fig. 10; v

Figs. 14 and 15 are enlarged sectional detail views on the lines 141 land 15-15 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged sectional'detail view on the line 1717 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is an enlarged perspective view looking in the direction of the arrow of Fig; 16;

Fig. 20 is an enlarged sectional detail view on the line 2020 of Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is an enlarged perspective view looking in the directionof the arrow 21 of v Fig. 19;

Figs. 23 and 2% are enlarged sectional detail views on the lines 2323 and 2 l-24 of Fig. 22. V In all of the several embodiments of the invention illustrated, the individual link or unit is formed from a single piece of wire 'sobent as to provide a two-ply body or tension member 5, or 5, the limbs of which are united at one end by a simple U-bend 6. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the wires formingthe two limbs of the body member 5 are, at the opposite end of the U-bend 6, bent downwardly and thence inwardly and upwardly, forming a terminal two-ply loop comprisingthe limbs 7 and 8 designed for interloopingengage J ment with the U-bend 6 of an endwise ad-, jacent link, in the manner clearly shown. in Fig. 2. The'wire forming the limb 8 of the terminal loop is carried across and se that is formed wholly from one of the {end portions of the wire of the link, andth'e two limbs of which are integrally joined at their outer end. This outer end portion of the cross-arm is bent downwardly and inwardly forming a two-ply hook l2, and the extreme end of this hook is preferably given a "reentrant bend, as clearly indicated at 12 in" Figs. 3 and 3, thereby effectively closing the entrance end of the hook'and preventing. displacement ofthe hook from the part en gaged thereby. Thehook 12 embraces thebody membere' ofa laterally adjacent'link, preferably between the two'limbs of the cross-arm of said laterally adjacent link, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 2.' V l The form shown in Flgs. l t'o 6 incluslve differs from that of Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive only in that the terminal loop member- 8 is somewhat longer and is brought up andj across the body member from'the opposite sideof the latteras shown at, 8, and the end hook of. the cross-arm is engaged with thebody member 5 directly between the two in that. the wire forming the terminal loopmember 7, instead of extending over the body member 5, extends beneath saidbody member as shown at 13, and continues thence to formthe crossrarml0. r

vertical terminal loop member Sis extended in one direct-1011 to form a lateral eyelet, the free end of which is anchored to the body'mem her at 15, while the wire'forming the-terminal loop member 7 is extended'in the opposite, direction, as shown at 16 to form a cross-arm 10 differing slightly from: the cross-arms previously described in that the two limbs lie substantially parallel throughout the full length of the arm. The inner ends of both limbs of the cross-arm engage the body member between the sides ofthe eye 1&, and the hook 12 of the cross-arm engages the eye 14: of a laterally adjacent link.

The construction of Figs. 13, 1 1: and 15 closely follows that of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, differing only in that the free end of the terminal loop member 8 is carried across and clenched to the body member in the opposite direction, as shown at 17, and the body member 5 is somewhat differently shaped, the two limbs extending parallel throughout the greater part of the body member and being inwardly offset near the end of the link as shown at 18 to form a stop to prevent displacement of the lower limb of the cross-arm and also a contracted neck which receives the hooked end of an adjacent cross-arm and forms the anchorage for the free end of the loop member 8 and the free end of the wire forming the crossarm.

In the construction of Figs. 16, 17 and 18, the wire that forms the terminal loop member 7 is carried upwardly and across the neck of the body member 5 as shown at 19, being thence extended to form the crossarm 10, while the end of the wire forming the terminal loop member 8 is simply bent upwardly substantially into contact with the underside of the neck of the body member as shown at 20 (Fig. 17), and left free. The hooked end 12 of the cross-arm engages the neck of the body member of an adjacent link directly between the inner ends of the limbs of the cross-arm of said adjacent link.

The construction of Figs. 19, 20 and 21 dispenses with the terminal loop member 8 of the previously described constructions, substituting therefor a downwardly and laterally ofiset bend 21, which is extended laterally to form the cross-arm 10. In this case we have shown the terminal loop member 7 as embracing the body member 5 at 22, below the lower limb of the cross-arm; and in this construction the said lower limb of the cross-arm is secured to the body member by passing beneath, thence up and over, and again beneath the body member, completely embracing the latter as shown at 23.

In the construction of Figs. 22, 23 and 24, the two limbs of the body member 5 are bent downwardly and laterally in opposite directions as shown at 2% and 25, the pertions of the wire being thence extended to form on one side a lateral eye 26, the end of which is clenched to the body member at 27, and on the other side the cross-arm 10. The free end of the wire forming the crossarm is anchored to the body member at 28, and the hooked end of the cross-arm, instead of engaging the body member, engages the lateral eye 26.

We claim:

1. A wire link fabric including a plurality of links or units, each composed of a single piece of wire bent to form a body member and a twoply cross-arm, said cross-arm con sisting of an end portion of the wire of the link bent upon itself and terminating at its outer end in a hook; said links being engaged with each other end-to-end to form longitudinal strands of the fabric and having the outer ends of their cross-arms interhooked with the links of an adjacent strand.

2. A wire link fabric including a plurality of links or units, each composed of a single piece of wire bent to form a body member and a two-ply cross-arm, said cross-arm consisting of an end portion of the wire of the link bent upon itself and terminating at its outer end in a two-ply hook, the free end of said end portion of the wire being secured to the body member; said links being engaged with each other end-to-end to form longitudinal strands of the fabric and having the outer ends of their cross-arms interhooked with the links of an adjacent strand.

3. A wire link fabric including a plurality of links or units, each composed of a single piece of wire bent to form a two-ply body member with terminal portions adapted for interlooping end connections and a two-ply cross-arm, said cross-arm consisting of an end portion of the wire of the link bent upon itself and terminating at its outer end in a two-ply hook, the free end of said end portion of the wire being secured to the body member; said links being inter-looped with each other endwise to form longitudinal strands of the fabric and having the outer ends of their cross-arms interhooked with the links of an adjacent strand.

t. As a new article of manufacture, a wire fabric link consisting of a single piece of wire bent to form a body member and a two-ply cross-arm, said cross-arm consisting of an end portion of the wire of the link bent upon itself and terminating at its outer end in a two-ply hook, and the free end of said end portion of the wire being secured to the body member.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a wire fabric link consisting of a single piece of wire bent to form a two-ply body member with terminal portions adapted for interlooping end connections in a strand and a twoply cross-arm, said cross-arm consisting of an end portion of the wire of the link bent upon itself and terminating at its outer end in a two-ply hook for connection to an adjacent strand, and the free end of said end portion of the wire being secured to the body member.

6. A wire link fabric including a plurality of links or units, each composed of a single piece of wire bent to form a body member and a two-ply cross-arm, said cross-arm consisting of an end portion of the Wire of the jacent links between the limbs of the two- 10 link bent upon itself and terminating at its ply cross-arms of said laterally adjacent outer end in a two-ply hook, the free end links.

of said end portion of the Wire being se- "w T r T cured to the body member; said links being engaged with each other end-to-end to form J longitudinal strands of the fabric and hav- Witnesses: ing the outer ends of their cross-arms hook- S. N. POND, ed over the body members of laterally ad- A. G. LATIMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. V 

